Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources aligned to the Australian curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources has been carefully reviewed by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure every single one is ready to use in the classroom. That means you can save hours on lesson planning with activities ready to print or use digitally!
Want to learn more about this section of the maths curriculum, or just looking for fresh ideas to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at the meaning of place value and tips on teaching place value in the classroom!
What Is Place Value? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes time to teach place value, it helps to have a simple definition to use to introduce this core maths concept to your class. Here's how we explain the meaning to our students:
In maths, the term place value refers to the value of a digit in relation to its position in a number. For example, in the decimal system (also referred to as the Hindu-Arabic system), which is based on powers of 10, the value of a digit in a number depends on its position relative to the decimal point, as follows:
- The digit in the ones place has a value of 1 times the digit.
- The digit in the tens place has a value of 10 times the digit.
- The digit in the hundreds place has a value of 100 times the digit.
- The digit in the thousands place has a value of 1000 times the digit.
- And so on.
Place Value Example
Like most maths concepts, looking at place value examples with your students is key to helping them understand the concept. So let's look at an example of place value using the number 3245:
- 3 is in the thousands place
- 2 is in the hundreds place
- 4 is in the tens place
- 5 is in the ones place
Therefore, its value can be calculated as:
(3 x 1000) + (2 x 100) + (4 x 10) + (5 x 1) = 3000 +200 +40 + 5 = 3245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for primary students to understand, as it is a major factor in understanding numbers and their overall value.
Understanding place value is also essential for performing the four maths operations, and it will help students as they move on toward working with decimal fractions, scientific notation and other mathematical concepts.
What Is a Place Value Chart?
A handy tool for teaching this maths concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organise numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labelled with the name of the place value it represents (e.g. ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.) and contains a series of boxes or cells — each of which corresponds to a single digit.
The rightmost column will represent the ones place, the next column to the left will represent the tens place, the next represents the hundreds place, and so on.
Place Value vs. Face Value — What's the Difference?
At some point, your students may ask about face value — after all, the terms sound similar! So are they interchangeable? The answer is no.
Face value and place value — despite their similar names — are not the same, but they are related.
As we've already noted, the place value of a digit tells us the value of that digit based on its position in a number. The place value of a digit changes depending on where it is in the number.
On the other hand, the face value of a digit tells us the actual value of the digit itself, regardless of its position in the number. So, for example, in the number 357, the face value of the digit 5 is simply 5.
In essence, place value is what helps us understand the value of a number based on the position of its digits, but face value is what helps us understand the value of individual digits in a number.
- Plus Plan
2 Digit Place Value Puzzles
Teach students the different representations of 2-digit numbers with this place value puzzle.
- Plus Plan
2-Digit Number of the Day Warm-Up PowerPoint
Review various 2-digit maths concepts with a Number of the Day slide deck and recording sheet.
- Plus Plan
Exploring 2-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
Explore 2-digit numbers using place value strategies with an interactive teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Place Value Mini-Book
Explore place value in 3-digit numbers with this place value mini-book.
- Free Plan
Place Value to the Thousands Place - Maths Mats
Practise place value concepts, addition and subtraction with a printable set of place value charts.
- Plus Plan
Number and Place Value Worksheets - Year 4
14 number and place value worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
- Plus Plan
Number and Place Value Worksheets - Year 3
16 number worksheets linked to the Australian Curriculum.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? Game - Place Value (3-Digit Numbers)
A whole-class game to consolidate students' understanding of 3-digit place value.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? Game – Place Value (2-Digit Numbers)
A whole-class game to consolidate students' understanding of place value.
- Plus Plan
Representing Two-Digit Numbers - Place Value Worksheet
A set of worksheets for students to use when learning about place value and the different way two-digit numbers can be represented.
- Free Plan
Expanded Notation Poster
Explore the world of expanded notation with a printable classroom poster that easily explains the concept for students!
- Plus Plan
Place Value Bingo Game Numbers Up to 10 000
Practise place value knowledge in numbers up to 10 000 with this set of bingo cards.
- Free Plan
How to Write 2-Digit and 3-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Explore how to represent number values in standard form, word form, expanded form, and picture form with this multipurpose place value worksheet.
- Plus Plan
MAB Block Picture Cards
A set of MAB Block picture cards to use when exploring place value and partitioning numbers.
- Free Plan
Representing Large Numbers Worksheet
A worksheet connecting large numbers and words.
- Plus Plan
5-Digit Place Value - Assessment
An open-ended worksheet to use when assessing your students' knowledge of place value to the tens of thousands.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? 4 Digit Place Value Game
Explore numbers up to 4-digits with this fun whole class place value game of 'I have, Who Has?'
- Plus Plan
Writing Numbers in Expanded Form Board Game
Help students practise writing numbers in expanded form with this fun and engaging gameboard and cards.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Number Forms Worksheet
Help students practise their knowledge of 3-digit numbers with this place value worksheet that covers MAB blocks, standard form, and expanded form.
- Plus Plan
Caterpillar Ordering Numbers Worksheet - Dot Day Activity
A number sequencing activity with 3 different levels of complexity.
- Free Plan
Tens and Ones 2-Digit Place Value Mat
Build two-digit numbers and improve place value skills with a printable tens and ones math mat.
- Free Plan
4-Digit Number of the Day Worksheet
A 4-digit place value worksheet to represent the number of the day in different ways.
- Plus Plan
Exploring 4-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
A 31 slide PowerPoint template to use when exploring place value to thousands.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Bingo Game Numbers Up to 1 000 000
Practise place value knowledge in numbers up to 1 000 000 with this set of bingo cards.
- Free Plan
4-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practise reading and writing 4-digit numbers with this printable PDF worksheet.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Numbers Interactive Activity
Practise knowledge of 3-digit numbers with this interactive activity exploring standard form, expanded form, word form and base ten form.
- Plus Plan
Hundreds Place Value Number Expander Template
Explore expanding 3 digit numbers with your students using this number expander template.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Number Expander Template (Peacock)
A foldable peacock-themed number expander for students to record 3-digit place value.
- Free Plan
4-Digit Place Value Game - Race Up the Rounding Ladder
Challenge your students to have some competitive fun with this partner-based rounding game.
- Free Plan
Rounding to the Nearest 10 Worksheet
Teach your students to round to the nearest 10 with this printable maths worksheet designed for year 1 and 2 students.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers Teaching Slides
Teach students how to round to the nearest ten and hundred with an interactive, explicit instructional teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Rounding to the Nearest Ten, Hundred and Thousand Worksheet
Review rounding concepts with a worksheet covering rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand.